


Aim for the Middle

by GulliverJ



Category: King Arthur (2004)
Genre: M/M, Tristahad - Freeform, Tristhad Week
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-06
Updated: 2016-04-06
Packaged: 2018-05-31 13:41:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,159
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6472204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GulliverJ/pseuds/GulliverJ
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tristan and Galahad are sent by Arthur to entice the Picts to join the knights in battle against the Saxons.  Galahad and Tristan fall in love on this trip.  Tristan explains how he can do the various things he does: talk to hawks, throw knives, fight.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Aim for the Middle

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanfict. The only other thing I posted was a book review, and I have deleted it. I am a native speaker of English who gets complimented on how well I speak English. That says something about me.

i.

 

Arthur calls Tristan and Galahad to him. “I want you to go with Guinevere to the Picts. You will be my ambassadors.” 

“Why me? Why us?” Galahad asks.

“Because you were tutored along with me by your father in the philosophy of Pelagius. I want you to explain to them we are trying to create something new – a country founded on equality. And you,” he says to Tristan, “must go because you are similar to them – you are a shaman and that is their culture. Guinevere will guide you and then return. I need the Picts to help me fight the Saxons who want to conquer us all and make us their serfs.”

Tristan and Galahad get their gear. They know this trip will take days. Tristan whistles for Tabiti, who flies to his hand. Guinevere is already on her horse, waiting. The three ride out of camp.

As they ride Guinevere shifts on the horse’s back. “This is uncomfortable. I need pants. Tristan, do you have an extra pair?”

“Certainly” said Tristan. "They will be too large but you can wear them under your dress and remove them when we are no longer riding.”

After Guinevere is dressed they ride on. “Galahad” says Guinevere, “how is it that you ride without pants?”

“I am Greek” Galahad replies. “I wear the traditional apparel we use for war: the chiton.”

“Isn’t Greek warfare traditionally done on the ground with men fighting each other with swords and spears?” Tristan asks. “Don’t you feel a need to modify it when the conditions change to include horses?”

“Tristan, we do not change our values merely because our situation changes.” Galahad replies. 

“Be sure to tell that to the Picts as you try to convert them from their traditional culture to that of Pelagius.” Tristan replies.

“Stop it!” Guinevere says. “Just stop it! You two are driving me crazy and we are still in sight of camp.”

Tristan sends Tabiti flying. When Galahad and Guinevere look at him he says, “I did not want her purity corrupted by philosophical argument. She has a job to do and needs to be unconflicted.”

Galahad snorts. Guinevere smiles. They ride on.

When they arrive at the Pict camp in the forest, Guinevere greets Merlin in their native language and explains the mission. Merlin finds a pair of pants in his cache of enemy loot and Guinevere takes them and returns Tristan’s pants to him. She does not offer any to Galahad, as it is now a matter of honor. Tabiti comes to Tristan’s whistle and alights on his hand.

Guinevere leaves. The two knights set up a tent and retire after eating with Merlin. 

 

ii.

 

That night they talk. Galahad asks Tristan how he does the things he does. “The knife trick – how do you do that?! ‘Aim for the middle’ is not an explanation. And Tabiti – how do you communicate with her when you are scouting? And finally fighting – nobody else fights like you, and you do not even use the same kind of sword as we do. How does this all work Tristan?” he asks.

“I cannot explain it to you – you are an intellectual. That limits your understanding to the things taught in symposium,” Tristan answers.

“Tristan, you are not making sense” Galahad replies. “Greek culture is the most advanced in the world. That is why Arthur’s father hired my father to tutor Arthur. He could have had anyone – he is very wealthy – and he chose a learned Greek. What are you trying to say?”

“Galahad,” Tristan replies, “if this was an intellectual process you would not be asking. It would be part of your esteemed Greek tradition, wouldn’t it?”

“Yes perhaps. This is so confusing. Are you telling me the intellect is not the supreme tool for understanding the universe?”

“That is what I am telling you. There are facets of the universe that do not lend themselves to analytic deconstruction. Knife throwing, fighting and hawk communication are but a few of these.”

Galahad swallowed. This was difficult for him. “Could you teach me?”

Tristan hesitates. “I do not know if I can teach you. It is not in my power to transform you. If you truly want this, we can try. But I cannot guarantee anything because it does not depend on me.”

“What does it depend on?” Galahad asks.

“The spirit of the universe and whether you can open yourself to it,” Tristan replies. “Now I am going to sleep – we have a long day tomorrow.”

And so they slept, on separate pallets, dreaming separate dreams.

 

iii.

 

The next day Merlin assembled the Picts. Galahad talked about societies with equality. Merlin translated. Tristan observed. Towards the end of the day Tristan intervened. He asked Galahad if he could do a demonstration. Galahad agreed and sat down while Tristan led the group.

Tristan asked for the strongest man to come up. He asked him to hold out his arm, and then he pulled down on the arm. The arm stayed where it was. Then Tristan did the exercise slightly differently: he had the man touch his thumb to the tip of his little finger. This time when Tristan pulled, the man’s arm dropped, to his amazement. 

“It’s not a trick – it really happened!” the man shouted.

Tristan explained that the energy running in the man’s body – the meridians – was shorted by the finger gesture. “And this” he declaimed, “is what happens when you have inequality in your society – your power is shorted.” The Picts were visibly affected.

That night, in the tent, Galahad asked Tristan how he did that. 

“It is simple” Tristan replied – “even you can do that or the Picts can do it. It has to do with the mechanics of energy, not with any special talent in me.”

“Tell me how you do the other things – the knife trick, fighting, the hawk,” Said Galahad. 

Tristan said, “I will try but I cannot guarantee anything. You are a committed intellectual. That is your birthright. This is in contrast to that.”

“Teach me anyway,” said Galahad. You saved today’s Pelagius lesson, which they did not even want to hear.”

“Are you tired?” asked Tristan. 

”Yes,” said Galahad, “but I want to at least try to learn.” 

“No,” said Tristan, “I am asking because it is easier to learn when you are tired or distracted. The analytic mind slows down when you are tired.” 

“Then yes, I am tired,” said Galahad. “Teach me please.”

Tristan sat in front of Galahad. “I want you to feel my energy.” Galahad responded and Tristan stopped him. “No that is not right. You are using your intellect. Feel what I am sending.” This time Galahad did better. Tristan said “what is it like when you approach your horse or another animal? What do you think?” 

Galahad responded “I don’t think – I keep my mind blank but inviting.” 

“That is what I am asking of you,” said Tristan.

Galahad kept his mind open and inviting, and Tristan allowed the energy of the universe to flow through him and into Galahad. Galahad moaned with pleasure. He could not move. He was transfixed. After it was over Galahad stayed in the same position, seemingly incapable of movement. When at last he was capable of movement, he said “My God, Tristan, what did you do?” 

Tristan said, “I did not do anything – it is the energy of the universe you are feeling.” 

“It filled me,” said Galahad. “like no act of intimacy ever has.” 

“You are very sensitive,” said Tristan. “We can do this again.” 

“Can I sleep next to you?” asked Galahad. “I cannot be without you at this time.” 

“Yes,” said Tristan, simply. And Galahad moved his pallet next to Tristan’s and they held each other as they slept.

 

iv.

 

The next day Merlin told Tristan and Galahad that the Picts had agreed to Arthur’s alliance and would fight with the knights against the Saxons. The day was spent practicing warfare formations. Tristan suggested improvements in the Pict’s use of the bow. 

That night Galahad asked Tristan “Can I be your erômenos? Will you be my erastês?” 

Tristan replied, “You already have a beard. You cannot be anyone’s erômenos. More to the point, it is a hierarchal relationship in which the erastês is active and the erômenos is passive. This does not fit with the philosophy of Pelagius, whom you love. If we are to be lovers, we must be equal.”

“Equal?” Galahad replied. “How is that even possible in a sexual relationship?”

“I will show you if you desire. Do you desire, Galahad?”

“Yes I desire.”

And so it began. Tristan gave and received kisses and touching. He encouraged in equal parts Galahad’s responses. And always, he was channeling the spirit of the universe into their joint experience. Galahad was out of his mind with delirious joy. He gave and received, in equal parts, although nobody was counting. It was like communicating water systems – whatever level of bliss one reached flowed to the other who reached it too. Finally they slumped into each other’s arms, exhausted. 

“How do you do that, Tristan?” asked Galahad. “Aim for the middle” said Tristan with a huge smile. And then they slept.

When they rode out the next day with the Picts to rejoin Arthur, Galahad asked Tristan more questions. How does he communicate with his hawk Tabiti? 

“Basically it is similar to how I make love to you,“ said Tristan. “I allow my experience to join hers. What Tabiti sees I see. It is extremely useful, and Tabiti loves it, as did you.” 

They ride further, lost in thought. Then Tristan says, “Galahad, I must tell you something even though I do not want to.” 

“What?!” says Galahad, scared. 

“I am slated to die in the battle with the Saxons,” says Tristan. 

“NO! No no no!” cries Galahad. “You cannot after what we shared!” 

“I do not want to,” says Tristan, “but it is apparently part of my fate. But I have an alternative if you want me to.” 

“What?!” says Galahad, desperate. 

“I can send a replica of myself to die in battle, and rejoin you later,” replies Tristan. 

“Yes I want that!” says Galahad. “Please.” 

“There are costs" Tristan says. "My replica will not fight like I fight – you will not be proud to have been my lover.” 

“I can live with that.” 

“And we will not be able to live in whatever society Arthur sets up, since I will be officially dead.” 

“I can live with that too – I am bound to you forever regardless of circumstance.” 

“Then I will do it,” Tristan says.

 

v.

 

And so the fight between the Knights and Picts versus the Saxons began. Lancelot was killed. Tristan did not fight as well as he had before. Tristan, who had previously killed with a maximum of 3 strokes of his bao sword, was killed by a fat Saxon king who could not even fight. It was a travesty, unless, of course, you knew Tristan’s replica was fighting in his place and was by design weaker than Tristan himself. Tristan released Tabiti by saying “You’re free,” and Tabiti flew overhead waiting for the real Tristan to emerge. She knew the one fighting was not her Tristan because he was not joined to her. 

After the fight was over and the Knights and Picts had won, they cremated the bodies of Lancelot and Tristan. And when all was well and done, Galahad begged leave to return to Greece, which was granted by a grateful Arthur. Arthur married Guinevere and England became Camelot.

But Galahad was seeking his own personal Camelot – he was seeking Tristan. And Tabiti flew after him, seeking the same. Both were bonded for life to a now supposedly dead knight named Tristan.

After three days travel, Galahad began to feel Tristan’s presence again. And Tabiti cried out as she flew. And that night, in the tent, Galahad felt the real Tristan for the first time since the battle. Tears rolled down his cheeks. 

“I was afraid I dreamed it and that you were really dead!” he cried. And Tabiti was crying too, heartfelt cries of reunion. And the love making they did that night surpassed any that had come before. 

“How could you doubt?” asked Tristan. 

“The laws of the universe do not make exceptions for death – we cremated you,” said Galahad. 

“No,” said Tristan, “you cremated my double, my apparition. The laws of the universe make exceptions for love as deep as ours.”

And so it was that a personal Camelot was built, and that is what is in our consciousness: Camelot was not merely a place in England with King Arthur, it is a place in our hearts where we are reunited with those we love the most. And this is the tale of a Camelot of the heart. 

They lived long and loved even more throughout their lives.


End file.
